My Pecos Strings
I began using e-mail way before the internet, via the early dial-up Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). When that was all we had, we thought they was great! I really got the habit, and when the internet came along I was truly hooked. I use a mail program that has been around for years, called Eudora. I receive an average of 200 e-mails each day, not counting SPAM!
I have especially enjoyed regular e-mail communications with old friends of various strips, including, my "PHS Friends List." This webpage is devoted to communications with this group, beginning in 1995. I should explain that I use the "broadcast method" for e-mailing to my PHS Friends, not a formal "Mail List," where everyone is subscribed or registered. It works like this: when I find something of interest, i.e., something that a bunch of 1940-50's grads might relate to, I send it to my list. At least a few usually reply, but only to me. If the "string" of their replies seems worth my time, I batch them together and re-send to the list. Of course, everyone is free to simply "listen" without replying, and most do.
This list began after a couple of reunions of my graduating class, PHS '47, where I gathered a few (less than a dozen) e-mail addresses. I've use a database program named FileMaker for many years, and so keeping up with all of this was an easy task for me. As other classes in the 40's era had reunions and collected up-to-date class rosters, several of them offered their rosters to me for my database. Then, with a push of a button in FileMaker, I could create a complete list of everyone in my database, sorted by graduating year. With the push of another button, I could then export all those with e-mail addresses and send them the latest "PHS Friends List" as an e-mail attachment. As the word spread about my list, more and more classes and individuals asked to be added to the list. The obvious advantage of this is that everyone on the list helps be keep it up-to-date with our every changing e-mail addresses, deaths, and retirement moves. From time to time many tell me the list has helped them get in touch with old friends, and better stay in touch via e-mail.
However, from time to time we hit upon a conversational topic ("string") that sort of takes on a life of its own! I've tried to preserve and edit some of these, and my goal for this website, for all of my PHS Friends to remember and enjoy!
Ray Mack
P.S. If you graduated from Pecos (Texas!) High School in the '30, 40's, or 50's, and would like to be added to my PHS Friends E-Mail List, drop me an e-mail! (Go to "Contact Me.")